Investigates the ways in which primary school-aged children engage a teacher's attention through active solicitation. Argues that examining these interactions reveals both what the children do and allows for a redefinition of a conceptualization of "talk engagement." (FL)

Results indicated that perceived quality of and satisfaction with decisions were higher in underload than overload conditions. Subjects also perceived greater satisfaction for decisions made using the oral mode of communication, but they perceived higher quality for decisions made using the written mode. (PD)

Supports the hypothesis that interaction processes connected with the Valence Distribution Model mediated the effect of decision schemes on group decisions. Substantiates the assumptions that interaction is a crucial factor in group decision making. Although input conditions may also have an impact on decision outcomes, they are mediated by…

Found that in poorly adjusted relationships, high levels of stress during conflict discussions (1) increase blame; (2) decrease communicative complexity; (3) may affect speech productivity; but (4) do not affect speech hesitation. Calls for moderation in stress levels and social cognitive bias so that people can communicate in a flexible way. (PD)

College students and secondary school teachers completed measures of communication apprehension about public speaking, meetings, small groups, and conversation. Results indicate that males may be slightly shyer than females, females may be slightly more apprehensive about public speaking than males, but neither differs meaningfully in terms of…

Results indicate that (1) voters' attitudes toward the candidates, issues, and parties stabilized after the election and (2) the first two debates were the most important events of the campaign with their greatest effects being felt between one and two weeks after the events. (PD)

Argues that studies on how and why humans talk, however precise the methodology, do not have the quality of science. Contends that these studies contain the essence of criticism and should be regarded as such. (PD)

Discusses a recent conceptualization of argumentativeness. Reports on an investigation of characteristics of argumentative students, which included variables such as birth order, family size, high school training, college grade point average, etc. Supports the assumption that argumentativeness is a desirable communication trait and considers…

Sketches personal construct theory and explicates the general concept of cognitive complexity. Describes alternative complexity measures and their interrelationships and reviews research relevant to the evaluation of existing complexity instruments. Then discusses the status of cognitive complexity as a social-cognitive factor influencing…

Noted that satisfaction with organizational life may be a function of equivocality (uncertainty) reduction rather than participation. Tested the hypothesis that perceived information adequacy is an indicator of equivocality. Results suggest that the equivocality model provides a better explanation of satisfaction than the participation model. (PD)

Developed a model and tested the following hypotheses: (1) esthetic features--tempo, rhythm, dynamics, and phrasing in piano performance--are accurately perceived by audience members and (2) such perceptual veridicality does not depend upon one's degree of education/training and is therefore shared by critics and audience members. (PD)

Examined whether toddler peers use hitting as a means of communication. Results demonstrated that hitting systematically resulted in different social outcomes for two-year-olds but not for one- or three-year-olds. The authors speculate that how gestures are used in nonverbal communication may change as verbal communication comes to dominate peer…

Found statistically significant differences across the three relationships for the importance of communication skills such as listening, routine information exchange, management of conflict, small group communication, etc. This study allows speech communication instructors to articulate the competencies needed by nurses across relationships. (PD)

Summarizes six instruments for coding who offers and who accepts control in a relationship. Discusses the instruments in terms of their conceptual strengths and compares the construct validity and predictive validity of each. (JMF)

Identifies nine motivations for television viewing and relates these to age, viewing levels, television attitudes of attachment and reality, and program preferences. Implications of the results are discussed in terms of uses and gratifications research perspectives. (JMF)